Apollo Winterberry

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

10 - 12 Feet

Mature Spread

6-8 Feet

Growing Zones

3 to 8

The elliptical foliage of the Apollo Winterberry starts out with burgundy tips before settling into a consistent shade of green for a fleeting and unexpected pop of color. This deciduous holly, also known as Ilex serrata X verticillata Apollo, is a late-flowering male plant. Greenish-white flowers bloom in the spring. This shrub is ideal for pollinating female cultivars like 'Sparkleberry' and 'Winter Red.' 

The Apollo Winterberry makes an excellent hedge or privacy screen as a large shrub. Feature near compatible female cultivars to ensure abundant red berries on the female plants during the winter months. Berries will not grow on the Apollo Winterberry. This plant is native to North America, so it requires very little care once it is acclimated. Grow this hardy shrub as a perennial in USDA zones 3 through 8.

Apollo Winterberry Care

Plant in rich, moist, well-drained soil that has an acidic pH. The ideal location will have full sun to partial shade. The Apollo Winterberry prefers damp conditions and needs about one inch of water per week. This plant isn’t a heavy feeder, but applying balanced fertilizer each spring will promote new growth.

Shape the plant as needed during the early spring before new growth appears. Prioritizing the old growth, remove up to one-third of the growth to keep the plant full. Suckers can be removed as they appear.

Apollo Winterberry Spacing

Apollo Winterberry is a large upright shrub that will top out around 10 to 12 feet and spread 6 to 8 feet. Plants should be spaced 5 to 7 feet apart.